§ 122 — Contracts for lighting

§ 122. Contracts for lighting. All municipal lighting shall be\nsupplied pursuant to contract therefor, awarded by the board of contract\nand supply as herein provided. Such contract shall cover and include the\nlighting and supplying of the lamps and the oil, gas, electric current,\nthe cleaning, repair and renewal of the lamps and all the materials\nrequired in the use and care thereof. No bid or proposal for any such\ncontract shall be received, nor contract awarded therefor, unless the\nbidder shall, prior to the making of such bid or proposal, have a\nfranchise under the authority of which the proposed contract can be\nperformed. No contract shall be advertised for or entered into for a\nperiod exceeding five years. Each bidder shall be required to furnish\nwith each bid or proposal a certified check, payable to the order of the\ncity treasurer, in such sum as the board of contract and supply shall\nprescribe, but not less than ten thousand dollars. Such sum shall be\nforfeited to and become the absolute property of the city in case the\nbidder depositing the same shall be awarded the contract and shall not\nexecute the same and furnish a bond for the faithful performance of such\ncontract, in the penal sum of not less than fifty thousand dollars,\nwithin thirty days after the award of such contract. Such certified\ncheck shall be returned to the bidder if the contract be not awarded to\nhim, or, if awarded, he shall have executed and furnished the contract\nand required bond.\n The common council may by ordinance establish a special lighting\ndistrict or districts for the purpose of ornamental street lighting, and\nfrom time to time may alter or extend the same. The board of contract\nand supply may contract for lighting any such district or districts so\nestablished or extended, as such board may deem proper or expedient. Any\ncontract so entered into shall be in conformity with the provisions of\nthis section, except that the bond to be given for the faithful\nperformance of the contract shall be in such amount as the board of\ncontract and supply shall determine. The amount of any contract that may\nbe entered into for such special lighting pursuant to the provisions of\nthis section, shall be assessed ratably upon the real property in such\nlighting district or districts in such manner as shall be provided by an\nordinance duly adopted by the common council and approved by the board\nof estimate and apportionment; and such assessments shall be levied,\nenforced and collected upon and between the taxable property in said\ncity and district or districts respectively, in the same manner, by the\nsame proceedings, at the same time, under the same penalties and by the\nsame officers as the city taxes, charges or expenses of said city are\nnow levied, enforced and collected. The common council shall, by\nordinance, approved by the board of estimate and apportionment,\napportion the expense that shall be borne by the taxable property in\nsuch special lighting district or districts, and the city at large; but\nin no event shall the taxable property in any such special lighting\ndistrict or districts be charged with less than fifty per centum of such\ncharges or expenses.\n